Lucia Hall's Story

Ivar didn't know what to make of Lofn and Felix. Lofn should not be here unless Felix had summoned her as Leif had summoned him. But from what he remembered of Felix, he was not the kind of volva to do something like this. So how was it that Lofn was here? Did she know of another way to appear in this realm without the aid of the living? What was more important was why Lofn was here. If Felix had summoned her, what purpose did he have? Felix was solitary. He didn't seem to care about the struggles between the volva and veidi madr. Was he trying to reach out to his parents perhaps?

At Felix's words however, the spirit faltered. The forceful command may have sent him away from the man's territory, but Leif's strength and command kept him anchored. Either way, it wasn't a very nice feeling. He had hoped that maybe Felix would be open to an exchange with Leif after all this time, but it appeared the man still had no intention of doing that whatsoever. He sighed. His hope for Leif was dwindling. Felix was the only one that could maybe talk some sense into the volva's thick head. And he truly wished he could leave as Felix obviously wished of him.

"Felix. I will give him your message. I wish I could depart. Leif requested I check in on you, make sure you are safe. I can't leave so quickly. It is good to see you are well however." Ivar turned his attention to Lofn then. "Hello Lofn. I am surprised to see you here as well." A part of him was uneasy about it, however. He would have to tell Leif about Lofn though he didn't want to. What would be the volva's response, knowing that a spirit was around Felix? Something in him dreaded the man's response.

"Did Felix call you here?" he asked then. He hoped that wasn't the case. Felix had to know that being bound was horrible. He did not wish it on Lofn, even from a gentle volva like Felix. Kind and good volva could turn wicked, after all, as had been the case with Leif. Magic truly could twist someone up completely in darkness. "And I have a word of caution. I am here by the command of a volva, Leif. Everything I see, I have to tell him. That means I must mention your presence here. I will try to keep it a secret as long as I can to protect you. I don't know what his response will be about the knowledge of a spirit here beside Felix. I hope he sees nothing of it. I just... I felt the need to warn you, in case Leif is unreasonable. He is necromancer and a blood mage."

Leif watched as Lucia pulled away to start looking for the items on her shopping list. She really was a whirlwind of energy. Between his absence and meditation and his sister's researching habits, the house was often quiet. She certainly brought more 'life' back into the place with her presence. She was a sudden flame and he found her to be a good inspiration with her fire. She was always so eager and happy. A part of him wished he was that exuberant, and he wondered if he ever had been. Always consulting with the dead had a way of making one pensive. Yes, Lucia was definitely a much-needed pick me up if he was ever going to get things done.

”Trying to figure out who the killer völva is. Have you heard anything new?” his sister asked and brought his attention back to her.

"Sadly, nada. Ivar had no idea someone had died. So, either he can't feel it when someone passes on or he was oblivious in his prayers. Either way, no help to us," he sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if he ignores things on purpose just to spite me." He wouldn't put it pass Ivar to try and conceal things, render his help of no use in some way. Their relationship had become strained at times and it was only the fact that Ivar feared for his enteral soul that the vaettr didn't openly defy Leif and shred his soul himself. Still, it was annoying that he had to remind Ivar that he was bound in mind and purpose.

"Anyway, I sent him off to check in on Felix, see if he knows anything. I doubt it considering the fool blinds himself in ignorance. Buuuuuut, I say stay on your toes. Considering our reputation and our shop items, I don't doubt that a veidi madr or two may pay us an unwelcome visit. Make sure anything you use with real magic is out of their greedy little fingers," he mused. He knew his sister was cautious and wouldn't let the hunters notice, but he still wanted to warn his sister.

It was almost a game of cat and mouse and the danger was thrilling. The veidi madr knew their parents had been volva and had them killed. Leif and Tove were on the watchlist but they were both clever. They knew how to hide their magic and continued to look like silly mediums, regular folk dabbling in things without real power. Some of the towns folk new something was up and would never cross them, afraid it would come back to haunt them literally. Others were content to consider them charlatans who faked seances for the feeble minded. It suited Leif just fine. He enjoyed the fact that they stayed just a hand out of reach of the hunters.

"Gods I wish I could go to the scene of the crime and see what happened there. I would be able to find out who the killer was in a flash. But I am sure the veidi madr will have a shit ton more guards there now. I might be able to call on the vaettr himself, but it is too soon after the death to call him forward. He won't tell me what happened. But oooh, maybe I should have Ivar go back to Vaegher and seek out the dead hunter and ask him what happened. I don't know why I didn't think of that before." he mused. "The guy will be far more inclined to answer another veidi madr's questions. Anything else you want Ivar to ask before I call him back from his current task?"

Anneka watched the stranger the entire time she was present. Considering that a volva had gone into a hunter's home, she did not doubt that some would grow balsy enough to try and take down the whole force of the veidi madr in their time of grief. They would assume the veidi madr were weakened, distracted. Oh, they had another thing coming to them if they would try. The hunters were ever vigilant and would not stop being hunters, even on a funeral day; especially on a funeral day. She wished she could get her hands on the volva that had done this to Rolf and his family. She knew revenge would not stop the ache, but it would be ever so satisfying.

Anneka shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts. She would not distract herself now. The young woman talked briefly with Rolf and passed a note to them before turning away from the service and heading out of the church. Hm. So she really was just here for the service. But how was she related to the family? Rolf and his mother didn't look like they recognized her. How had she heard about the funeral? Was she a veidi madr from somewhere else? If so, why did she not greet the rest of the veidi madr here? This girl was a puzzle and Anneka wanted answers. Nothing could stay unknown in this perilous time.

When Gustav motioned, they all retreated into their base, Anneka gave on last look at the door before she followed her leader to begin the celebratory portion of the service. Anneka drank little, not wanting to lose her wits. She was going to have to stay focused if she was determined to investigate the new face. Her attention settled on her man when he moved away to begin his speech.

”I know today has been a hard day for us all, Rolf and Eva more than the rest of us. Anton was a great man. He was loved and respected by each and everyone of us. There has never been a veiði-maðr as loyal, strong and dedicated as him. Seeing him go will not be easy on us, but we take comfort in knowing that he has ascended to heaven to live amongst the veiði-maðr of old until we too join him. Anton was a big blow, not just on us as a family, but on the veiði-maðr. Never before has a völva been so bold as to come into our homes and strike us down where we sleep. This attack is personal. This is beyond defense or self preservation… And I believe this to be an act of war. We will discover who did this to Anton and stop them before they take another innocent life! Today we celebrate the life a great man and tomorrow we no longer hunt from the shadows, but finally work to once and for all purge Geiranger of the völve and their taint.”

Anneka raised her glass with Gustav and drank its contents. She agreed full-heartedly that this was war. It had always been war, but now more than ever, something had to change. They couldn't keep dragging this out, waiting for some volva to make themselves known so they could target and kill them one by one. Too many veidi madr were dying this way. They had to ferret them out now. There couldn't be that many volva around. They'd taken care of so many. "Let's rid the world of these sinful bastards once and for all. They've murdered and corrupted this world long enough. I say we're the generation to wipe them out," she added. "We have the will and we each have different strengths. If we really work as a team, I think we can do it in record time. We must be clever about it. I do not want to see any more of our own die before their time.”